Features

Customer Charter

Posted: Mon 30 Jun 2014Author: Adam Baker

City supporters

Image by:josephmeredith.com

Key information for supporters

CUSTOMER CHARTER 2014

Bristol City Football Club has been at the heart of south Bristol since 1897. Our ambition is to be the top sporting club in the West of England, and to play at the highest possible level. Through our association with the Bristol City Community Trust we want to bring people together to share in that ambition.

We have a commitment to provide excellent customer service, maintain a safe family environment in our stadium and provide the best possible value to our supporters.

During the 2014/15 season we will be embarking on the first phase of an ambitious stadium redevelopment. We will work closely with supporters to minimise the impact on them wherever possible.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Our Club and Supporter Liaison is David Lloyd. He is there to answer any questions you may have about any aspect of the way in which the club is run. If he can't answer your question directly, he will refer it to the appropriate member of staff. You can contact him via e-mail at david.lloyd@bcfc.co.uk, by phone on 0117 963 0683.

Alternatively you can write to David at Ashton Gate Stadium, Ashton Road, Bristol BS3 2EJ.

He will aim to respond to any enquiry within five working days. If he is not able to provide an immediate response, he will aim to have dealt with the issue within 21 working days.

If you are still not happy with the response you receive, please refer to our Complaints Procedure.

STAFF CONDUCT

The club expects its staff to be polite, courteous and responsive to the needs of supporters and customers at all times.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

Bristol City Football Club is committed to confront and eliminate discrimination whether by reason of sex, sexual orientation, race, nationality, ethnic origin, colour, religion or disability.

Bristol City Football Club is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to equal opportunity within our own organisation and to encouraging similar commitment from every organisation or individual acting within the game.

Equality of opportunity at Bristol City Football Club means that in none of our activities will we discriminate against, or in any way treat less favourably, any person on grounds of sex, sexual orientation, race, nationality, ethnic origin, colour, religion or disability.

This includes:

The advertisement of jobs

The selection of candidates for employment or promotion

Job location or working environment

Pay and employment terms and conditions

Internal training and development activities

External education activities and awards

Football development activities

Selection for representative teams

Appointments to honorary positions

Bristol City Football Club will not tolerate sexual or racially based harassment or other discriminatory behaviour, whether physical or verbal, and will work to ensure that such behaviour is met with appropriate disciplinary action in whatever context it occurs.

Bristol City Football Club supports The Football League and The Football Association in its commitment to develop a programme of on-going training and awareness-raising events and activities in order to promote the eradication of discrimination.

SAFEGUARDING

All staff who work closely with children and young people receive appropriate training and are DBS checked where appropriate.

COMMUNITY ACTIVITY

Engagement with the community is vital to our development. We work closely with the Bristol City Community Trust to achieve this aim. The Trust is a registered charity, and its mission, vision and values are as follows:

Mission: A Trust based at the heart of its community

Vision: Improving lives through football and learning

Values: Dedicated, innovative and inspirational.

You can get more information on the Trust and its work at bristolcitycommunitytrust.org.uk.

SUPPORTER CONSULTATION

We consult widely with supporters and welcome input on all aspects of our operations. Our Supporter Liaison has regular meetings with representatives of the Supporters Club and Trust and attends their meetings wherever possible.

We hold a minimum of four Fans Advisory Network sessions per year, where all supporters have the opportunity to meet with key members of our administrative team. The first team manager will attend at least one of those meetings. Our Chief Executive will also aim to attend each meeting.

TICKET PRICING

The club continues to strive for wider access to matches by offering a broad range of ticket prices both in terms of match day tickets and season tickets. The club operates a scheme to enable supporters to pay for season tickets by instalment at a 0% rate of interest. Season ticket prices for this season have been frozen, and reduced in some areas.

Our head of Supporter Services is Kay McGinty. You can contact her with any queries on ticketing issues on 0117 963 0609 or at kay.mcginty@bcfc.co.uk

ALLOCATION

Where possible, a percentage of tickets to each game will be made available to non-season ticket holders. Due to redevelopment work and a reduced capacity in 2014/15, this may not be possible for all games.

CONCESSIONS

Concessionary prices are available to junior supporters (under-8s, under 19s and under 21s), senior citizens (over-65) and disabled supporters in possession of medium to high rate Disability Living Allowance or its equivalent.

The club provides:

Family season cards in all areas of the stadium.

Support for disabled spectators and their carers.

Facilities for visually impaired supporters to receive a match commentary. Visually impaired season ticket holders are issued with a radio receiver and listen to a broadcast from hospital radio. On a match day (where no receiver is available) supporters can be located in the vicinity of the hospital radio broadcaster to listen to the commentary. Prior liaison with the club's Supporter Services team or via a matchday steward is essential.

Given the structural nature of the Williams Stand a number of seats do have a pillar in view; however the club sell these tickets at full price as the view is not severely impaired. The club does not normally sell seats that are impaired by a restricted view.

AWAY TICKETS

The allocation of ticket priority for away games will be announced when allocations are known.

In all circumstances priority will be provided to season ticket holders. Information regarding games will be conveyed to supporters via a press release, the match programme, club website and other social media, e-mails and matchday announcements.

CUP COMPETITIONS

Tickets for cup matches are priced dependent upon the opponents, the profile of the fixture and the competition.

Ticket priority for home games will rest with season ticket holders, followed by general sale.

Tickets for away fixtures will be allocated as above.

RETURNS/REFUNDS

Match tickets are non-refundable apart from in exceptional circumstances, in which case our Supporter Services team will assess each case on its individual merits. In the event of a refund being agreed the club must receive the tickets back prior to the day of the game. NO refunds will be given after the purchase of a season ticket.

ABANDONED MATCH POLICY

In the event that a match has to be abandoned for whatever reason the following club policy will apply:

If a match is postponed after spectators have been admitted to the ground but before the match has kicked off, ticket holders and any spectators having entered the ground will be offered free admission to the re-arranged game.

If a league match kicks off but is abandoned before the commencement of the second half, spectators in attendance will be offered admission to the rearranged fixture for 50% of the admission price they paid to attend the original fixture.

If a cup match kicks off but is abandoned before the commencement of the second half, the club will endeavour to provide spectators in attendance with the opportunity to purchase tickets for the rearranged fixture at 50% of the admission price they paid to attend the original fixture. This will be subject to the agreement of the opposing team and fulfilling the requirements of the official bodies governing the competition.

Due to different methods of admission to the three stands within the stadium it will be necessary to issue vouchers to some spectators.

All spectators in the Williams, Dolman and Atyeo stands will be advised by use of the P.A. system to retain their tickets as proof of their admission to the game and to claim their seats for the rearranged game. All away spectators in the Atyeo Stand will be advised by use of the P.A. system to collect a voucher at the exit gates when leaving the stand (provided the game is not "all-ticket"). This voucher will be necessary to claim their seats for the re-arranged fixture.

The vouchers will be individual to that area of the stand and will be retained in the control room for issue by the Safety Officer.

ACCOMMODATING AWAY SUPPORTERS

The Club abides by Football League Regulations governing the allocation of tickets to visiting clubs. Due to ground redevelopment, the Football League and the Football Association have also agreed to a reduction in our away capacity to a maximum of approximately 1100 for the 2014/15 season. This is lower than the 10% which normally applies for Football league fixtures and 15% which normally applies for FA Cup matches.

The Club does not charge matchday admission prices to supporters of a visiting club, which are higher than those charged to our own supporters for comparable accommodation. In particular our concessionary rates offered to senior citizens, families and junior supporters apply to supporters of a visiting club.

STADIUM

We undertake to provide a safe, secure environment in our stadium. Matchday staff are fully trained in all aspects of safety and security and ensure that the Football League's official ground regulations are followed. The regulations are as follows:

GROUND REGULATIONS

Notice: Entry to the Ground is expressly subject to acceptance by the visitor of these Ground Regulations and the rules and regulations of FIFA, UEFA, The Football Association and The Football League in respect of the relevant competition. The Ground Regulations incorporate the Club's Customer Charter (if any). Entry to the Ground shall constitute acceptance of the Ground Regulations. "Ground" means this football stadium and all locations owned, occupied or utilised by the Club.

"Club" means this football club.
"Match" means any association football match (or any part or aspect of such a match) taking place at the Ground.
"Material" means any audio, visual or audio-visual material or any information or data.
“Football Authorities” means The Football League, Premier League, Football Association, the Football Association of Wales, FIFA, UEFA and any other relevant governing body of association football
- Notwithstanding possession of any ticket the Club, any police officer or authorised steward may refuse entry to (or eject from) the Ground any person:
o that fails (or in the Club's reasonable opinion is likely to fail) to comply with these Ground Regulations or any reasonable instruction issued by a police officer or authorised steward; and/or
o whose presence within the Ground is, or could (in the Club's reasonable opinion), constitute a source of danger, nuisance or annoyance to any other person.
- On no account will admission be granted to a person who is the subject of a current Banning Order under the Football Spectators Act 1989 (as amended) or has been convicted of ticket touting offences under the Criminal Justice and Public Order 1994 (as amended).
- The Club excludes to the maximum extent permitted by law any liability for loss, injury or damage to persons/property in or around the Ground.
- No guarantees can be given by the Club that a Match will take place at a particular time or on a particular date and the Club reserves the right to reschedule the Match without notice and without any liability whatsoever.
- In the event of the postponement or abandonment of the Match, refunds (if any) will be made in accordance with the Club's Customer Charter. The Club will have no further liability whatsoever, including (but not limited to) any indirect or consequential loss or damage, such as (but not limited to) loss of enjoyment or travel costs.
- All persons seeking entrance to the Ground acknowledge the Club's right to search any person entering the Ground and to refuse entry to or eject from the Ground any person refusing to submit to such a search.
- The following articles must not be brought within the Ground - knives, fireworks, smoke canisters, air-horns, flares, weapons, dangerous or hazardous items, laser devices, bottles, glass vessels, cans, poles and any article that might be used as a weapon and/or compromise public safety. Any person in possession of such items will be refused entry to the Ground.
- Further, you may not bring into the Ground any sponsorship, promotional or marketing materials save in respect of official club merchandise and/or other football related clothing worn in good faith nor may you offer (either free or for sale by any person) any goods (including literature) of any nature without the express written approval of the Management.
- The use of threatening behaviour, foul or abusive language is strictly forbidden and will result in arrest and/or ejection from the Ground. The Club may impose a ban for one or more Matches.
- Racial, homophobic or discriminatory abuse, chanting or harassment is strictly forbidden and will result in arrest and/or ejection from the Ground. The Club may impose a ban for one or more Matches.
- The following acts are offences under the Football (Offences) Act 1991 (as amended):
o The throwing of any object within the Ground without lawful authority or excuse.
o The chanting of anything of an indecent or racialist nature.
o The entry onto the playing area or any adjacent area to which spectators are not generally admitted without lawful authority or excuse.
- Conviction may result in a Banning Order being made.
- All persons entering the Ground may only occupy the seat allocated to them by their ticket and must not move from any one part of the Ground to another without the express permission or instruction of any steward, officer of the Club and/or any police officer.
- Nobody may stand in any seating area whilst play is in progress. Persistent standing in seated areas whilst play is in progress is strictly forbidden and may result in ejection from the Ground.
- The obstruction of gangways, access ways, exits and entrances, stairways and like places is strictly forbidden. Nobody entering the Ground shall be permitted to climb any structures within the Ground.
- Football League stadia are smoke-free and smoking is not permitted inside the Ground.
- Mobile telephones and other mobile devices are permitted within the Ground PROVIDED THAT (i) they are used for personal and private use only (which, for the avoidance of doubt and by way of example only, shall not include the capturing, logging, recording, transmitting, playing, issuing, showing, or any other communication of any Material for any commercial purposes); and (2) no Material that is captured by a mobile telephone or other mobile device may be published or otherwise made available to any third parties including, without limitation, via social networking sites.
- Under the Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc) Act 1985 (as amended), the following are offences for which a person can be arrested by a police officer and conviction could result in a Banning Order being made:
o Attempting to enter the Ground or being inside the Ground whilst drunk;
o Being in possession of any intoxicating liquor, or bottle, can or other portable container and which could cause damage or personal injury, when entering the Ground or in a public area of the Ground from which the event can be directly viewed.
- Any individual who has entered any part of the Ground designated for the use of any group of supporters to which he does not belong may be ejected from the Ground either for the purposes of his own safety or for any other reason.
- Save as set out in paragraph 16 above, no person (other than a person who holds an appropriate licence) may capture, log, record, transmit, play, issue, show or otherwise communicate (by digital or other means) any Material in relation to the Match, any players or other persons present in the Ground and/or the Ground, nor may they bring into the Ground or use within the Ground (or provide to, facilitate or otherwise assist another person to use within the Ground) any equipment or technology which is capable of capturing, logging, recording, transmitting, playing, issuing, showing or otherwise communicating (by digital or other means) any such Material. Copyright, database rights and any other intellectual property rights in any unauthorised recording or transmission is assigned (by way of present assignment of future rights) to the Club and The Football League. You further agree (if and whenever required to do so by the Club and/or The Football League) to promptly execute all instruments and do all things necessary to vest the right, title and interest in such rights to the Club and The Football League absolutely and with full title guarantee.
- No goods (including literature) of any nature may be offered either free or for sale by any person within the Ground without the express written permission of the Club.
- Tickets are not transferable and may not be offered for sale without the prior written permission of the Club. Any tickets that are transferred are transferred subject to these Ground Regulations. Any tickets offered for sale may be confiscated by any steward, officer of the Club or any police officer. The Club reserves the right to refuse admission to or eject from the Ground, any person who has transferred his/her ticket in contravention of the relevant ticket terms and conditions (and/or the holder of any ticket that has been transferred in contravention of the relevant ticket terms and conditions.) Tickets remain the property of the Club at all times.
- CCTV cameras are in use around and in the Ground and the Club may itself use or pass to the police or any Football Authority or other clubs, any recordings for use in any proceedings.
- At all times whilst present in the Ground, persons must comply with any and all instructions of any steward or officer of the Club and/or any police officer. Failure to comply with any instruction may lead to immediate ejection from the Ground.
- By entering the Ground, all persons are acknowledging that photographic images and/or video recordings (and/or stills taken from video recordings) may be taken of them and may also be used, by way of example and without limitation, in televised coverage of the game or by or on behalf of the Club or any Football Authority (or their commercial partners) for marketing, training or promotional purposes. Entry into the Ground is confirmation that all persons have consented to such use of their image. If these images should feature an individual prominently the Club will make reasonable efforts to gain the consent of that person before publishing such images, however, if this is not possible, then entry into the Ground shall be deemed consent unless the Club is notified in writing to the contrary.
- Further to paragraph 24, if such person is under 18 years of age, the parent, guardian, or responsible adult who is accompanying them into the Ground shall be deemed to have provided consent on their behalf.
- Refused entry to (or ejection from) the Ground may lead to further action by the Club including, but not limited to, the withdrawal of any season ticket (without reimbursement), Club Membership and other benefits.
Published by The Football League Limited – June 2013.

MERCHANDISING AND RETAIL

The Bristol Sport Megastore is open at the following times, as well as every matchday

Mon to Fri - 9am - 5pm,

Saturday Non Matchday - 9am - 1pm,

Saturday Matchday 10am until 30 minutes after final whistle

Sun - Closed

If you need to contact Bristol City Megastore, use the details below - if you are making an order related enquiry, please include your Order Number.

To find your best route to Ashton Gate, visit betterbybike.info. A number of covered bicycle racks are available in the Old Hirerite building on a matchday. The area is stewarded.

By Car

SAT NAV: BS3 2EJ

Directions By Road

FROM M5: Leave the M5 motorway at junction 18, travel along the Portway (A4) following the signs for Bristol Airport/Taunton (A38). Over the swing bridge (Brunel Way), branching left into Winterstoke Road, and left again at the traffic lights for Ashton Gate. Street parking is limited so please arrive early and adhere to parking restrictions.

FROM M4: At junction 19, exit onto M32 towards Bristol. Continue on A4032. Turn left at A4044/Bond Street. Continue to follow A4044. At Temple Circus Gyratory, take the 2nd exit onto A4/Templegate. At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto A370/York Road. Continue to follow A370. Go through one roundabout. Slight left to merge onto Brunel Way. Take the next left at traffic lights for Ashton Gate.

There is no agreement for City fans to use the Park & Ride facility on matchdays.

Media Parking

Only the opposition club is guaranteed matchday parking. Please make clear on your accreditation request whether you need parking or not, and this will be considered. Check with the Media Department (0117 963 0600) before travelling to see if you have parking for the game. Due to ground redevelopment, parking will be further restricted during the 2014/15 season.

By Air

Only ten minutes, by car from Bristol International Airport. Call 0871 334 4344 for flight times.

By Rail

Only five minutes by car from Bristol Temple Meads railway station. For information on train times please call the National Railway Enquiry Services on 08457 484950.

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

Complaints procedure

1. Supporter complaint to the football club

2. If the complaint is satisfactorily resolved by the club, then no further action is necessary.

3. If the complaint cannot be resolved satisfactorily, then the club or the complainant should contact the Football League Customer Services Department